5 Vitamin D Facts Many Doctors Won't Tell You

There’s no question that vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients you need. Adequate vitamin D levels protect you against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, cancer, and more. Yet, many doctors are still giving their patients misinformation when it comes to this critical nutrient.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. It’s nearly impossible to get all the vitamin D you need from sun exposure. In fact, up to 85% of Americans are vitamin D deficient.

2. There are two basic forms of vitamin D: D2 and D3. Vitamin D3 is the form your body makes naturally with sun exposure, and it’s the most bioavailable. So, if you have a choice between vitamin D2 and D3, choose D3.

3. A lack of vitamin D can contribute to diabetes by impairing insulin synthesis and secretions. In fact, of the 23 million Americans with diabetes many are deficient in vitamin D.

4. Those “senior moments” can be worsened by a lack of vitamin D. In a European study of 3,369 men ages 40–79, low levels of vitamin D were associated with poorer scores on cognitive tests.

5. Vitamin D helps to protect you against cancer, including prostate, breast and colon cancers.

What’s the best way to ensure you’re not on the vitamin D “risk list?” What I tell my patients is they need to shoot for 2,000–4,000 IUs of vitamin D3 a day if they’re healthy. You can also take 5,000 to 7,500 IUs daily if you’re compromised with a chronic illness, or even an illness of uncertain cause like fibromyalgia—you can continue that higher dose regimen for 2-3 months.

Now it’s your turn: Do you take vitamin D?

You May Also Be Interested In:

• Is There Such a Thing As Too Much Vitamin D?
• Important News About Winter, Sunscreens & Your Health